ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Americans all over the country have hit the road, gearing up for America’s 250th birthday on Saturday.
But before the nation hits the celebrations, some drivers are hitting the brakes.
AAA projects that between June 27 and July 5, 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles away from home. They estimate about 85% of travelers will be driving to their destinations, and 8% will be flying.
Kenisha Custis is a driver from Virginia taking a quick break at a rest stop off I-95 on her way down to Port Canaveral.
“I think the longest we sat in traffic today was probably about 30 minutes,” Custis said. “Mainly in the Georgia area, there was a lot of traffic, a lot of stop-and-go.”
But Custis is far from the only one feeling the impact of the holiday weekend.
Garick Palmer says he is also driving down from Virginia and is headed to Orlando, which AAA names as the second most popular Independence Day location behind Seattle. He says the drive down hasn’t been too bad — he’s just hoping it stays that way.
“You just got to pay attention to the drivers, the brake checks, you know, just making sure you’re not on your phone,” Palmer said.
AAA also projects a slight increase in air travel from last year at 5.85 million travelers. Jacksonville International Airport’s parking garages reflect that, nearing full capacity around 4 p.m. on Friday.
AAA says the biggest mode of travel increase this year is cruises, with numbers reflecting those of pre-COVID years.
Andrew Gatensby, who is traveling all the way from Ontario, says a Disney Cruise waiting for him down in Port Canaveral makes the holiday travel well worth it.
“It’s a good, relaxing time,” Gatensby said. “Everything is covered — your food, your entertainment, your destination — so it’s the perfect all-in-one vacation package.”
AAA is urging drivers who plan on drinking this holiday weekend to arrange a sober ride before going out, as their crash data analysis shows nearly one in three summertime traffic deaths involve an impaired driver.
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